


tadaima, okaeri

by UniversalSatan



Category: Mumintroll | Moomins Series - Tove Jansson, 楽しいムーミン一家 | Moomin (Anime)
Genre: Adventure, Angst with a Happy Ending, M/M, Pining, Returning Home, Reunions, Spring, he meets a few people along the way but dont mind them, this ended up being mainly a snufkin fic oops
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-13
Updated: 2019-05-13
Packaged: 2020-03-02 14:01:59
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,905
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18812374
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/UniversalSatan/pseuds/UniversalSatan
Summary: Snufkin is imprisoned far, far across the Lonely Mountains, and he worries that he might not make it back to Moominvalley by the springtime.





	tadaima, okaeri

**Author's Note:**

> a lot of this was written on a whim and its unedited but i had a lot of feelings for snufmin and snufkin so this is what happened alskdfjkdlsj idk i was listening to the soundtrack the entire time i was writing this. ive only watched the 90s show and like one arc in the comics so please bear with me. also a good portion of this was written in the middle of the night so lksdfjldsf i hope its okay

Snufkin awoke to cold stone pressed against his cheek. He shivered before huddling into his cloak even further, mentally convincing himself to investigate his surroundings.

Peeking an eye open, he realized that there was not much to see ahead of him. An insufficient light source shined distantly behind him, and was barely enough for him to process the grey wall in front of his face. Sighing, Snufkin rolled over onto his other side.

Though maybe a couple of meters away, thick iron bars obscured Snufkin’s vision of a dingy-looking prison. There were so many bars in his line of sight that it seemed like his cell was far from the only one. Despite his ill-fated situation, Snufkin could only bring himself to think _“not again.”_ When he reached for his hat and realized that it, also, wasn’t there, he couldn’t help but feel his mood turn sour.

Creeping up to the cold iron bars and wrapping his hands around them, Snufkin stuck his face between them, peering into his small world. A lantern burned weakly on the wooden table in front of him, which allowed very little light to reach his eyes. Nonetheless, it was just enough to see that he wasn’t alone, as there was someone in the cell to his northeast.

“Excuse me, old man,” he called out, hoping that the sitting figure would hear him. “Do you happen to have the time?”

“It would be nighttime, I suppose,” the old man replied. He had yet to move, and his eyes were shut. “And a few day’s time until spring, I suppose.”

“Spring?” Snufkin tensed, having felt his heartbeat stutter at the word. “Is it time already?”

“I suppose.”

Looking down at his feet before shutting his own eyes, Snufkin wedged his head between the bars, struggling to not find defeat. He wasn’t going to be able to make it back to Moominvalley on time. _Moomin…_

Snufkin looked up again. The old man still hadn’t moved.

“I’m Snufkin. What is your name?”

“Panu, I suppose. It has been a very long time since it has been used, I suppose.”

“How long have you been in here, Panu?”

“Many years, I suppose.”

“Then how do you keep the time so well?”

“Travelers, I suppose. New prisoners, day by day, gift me with the knowledge of time. It is the only thing that keeps me busy, I suppose.”

“I am afraid I cannot bear a gift of that sort.”

“That is alright, I suppose. You wouldn’t have any other tales to enlighten me with, I suppose?”

“I suppose I have the time and tales to spare. Have you seen my bag anywhere here?”

“There is a new bag with a hat on the hook by my cell, I suppose.”

Snufkin suddenly bristled with excitement, straightening up in anticipation. “Oh, good! Could you reach over and grab it for me?”

“I would if I could, I suppose.”

“I take it that is a no? And why would that be?”

“Slightly too far, I suppose. And wouldn’t want to be caught, I suppose.”

“... Are there any guards here?”

“Only one, I suppose. Only one I’ve ever seen.”

“Have you not ever tried to escape?”

“Couldn’t dare, I suppose.”

“And it is that one guard that is stopping you from trying?”

“If you saw them, you would see, I suppose.”

“And you really cannot grab my bag for me?”

“Not at all, I suppose.”

“You suppose a lot of things, Panu.”

“One can never be too sure of their outcomes, I suppose.”

Exhausted, Snufkin finally sat down, stretching his legs through his bars. The tips of his boots didn’t quite reach far enough to touch anything, so he wiggled his toes until he could think of something better to do. To his utmost surprise, that something “better to do” ended up being to find his harmonica still tucked away in his coat, which he gladly took out and began to play. He had, after all, promised to write a new song for Moomin.

“That is not wise, young Snufkin,” Panu suddenly warned him. Snufkin kept on playing, only sparing him one open eye to see that both of his were still closed. “Unless you wish to meet the prison guard, I suppose. You might want to stay inside your cell, I suppose: just as a door can be opened both ways, a cage can be a prison from either side, I suppose.”

Just as Panu finished speaking, a low growl sounded from across the prison, and Snufkin abruptly stopped playing, immediately pulling his legs back into his cell with him. Still intrigued, he got to his feet, staying a wary distance from the iron bars.

Slinking from the darkness around the corner, diamond eyes glistened in the void, staring back at Snufkin. Enthralled, Snufkin held his breath, leaning closer to the spectacle as if it would help him see. The eyes blinked once and then emerged from where they hid, growling in all its majesty. Pearl teeth and a moonstone collar gleamed at Snufkin, with a tail swishing impatiently behind the skeletal creature.

“The Opal Panther is our guard, I suppose,” Panu explained, seemingly unworried from where he sat. “No one dares to escape because she is also trapped here, I suppose.”

“Trapped?” Snufkin asked.

“The best kind of guard, I suppose.”

Snufkin sat down in the middle of his cell, just like Panu. Though the Opal Panther stood at his iron bars, blocking the lantern’s light with its thin body and snarling all the while, Snufkin took out his harmonica again, playing until he was too tired to do so. It disheartened him to notice that his music did nothing to soothe the wild beast, as his playing usually did with other creatures, but he was so preoccupied with setting his sights on writing a song for Moomin that he paid it no mind. The best kind of song illustrated a tale, so Snufkin was going to tell him the adventures he had experienced as the Moomins hibernated peacefully in Moominvalley.

 

* * *

 

_A brilliant castle sparkled like a beacon of light on a mountain, modernizing what used to be a field into elegant royal gardens. Gemstones sparkled from every surface, crude in areas that held less significance. Under the mountain, a loud gem mine was hard at work, filled with the tireless inhabitants of the castle’s small town. Snufkin had visited this mountain once many winters ago, but now it looked nothing like it used to._

_Snufkin despised it all the second he caught sight of it. The beginnings of polished quartz paths underneath his feet shined like mirrors underneath his boots, and he longed to find a puddle to muddy his doppelganger staring back up at him. Yet, even that suggestion was impossible, as every hint of wildlife was pristine and organized, shaped and pruned into their own wooden cages. The mere sight of fences made irritation prickle at Snufkin’s skin, but he let that worry simmer at the side for a while, patient enough to wait and see the worst to come._

_By the time Snufkin reached the castle, he had to squeeze his backpack straps tightly to avoid breaking anything on sight. He had long decided that he didn’t want to be seen, so he was currently creeping from shadow to shadow, seeing what the heart of the castle could contain. He was so full of dirt that he most definitely left a trail wherever he went, but he was lucky enough to be able to hide behind a shining knight of armor before some round people passed, looking as if they thought they held the most authority in the kingdom, discussing something boring like the threats of democracy or anarchy or whatever. Having caught sight of the large doors they had just exited, Snufkin managed to sneak around the so-called royalty to sneak into the throne room before the doors fully closed._

_The throne room was impossibly open, and impossibly, startlingly empty. Light bounced easily off every polished surface, with quartz, crystal, and gemstones alike perfectly calculated in dimensions. Every step Snufkin took echoed loudly._

_Here, in the throne room, under hundreds of crystal domes, grew what must have been hundreds of different flowers. They felt to be the only living things in the vicinity, if barely._

_“Is there anyone there to steal my heart?”_

_Snufkin froze at the sound of a voice across the hall. It was small and soft, only audible because of the echo of the room. Slowly, he turned to the head of the room._

_A huge throne centered the back wall, hidden behind the bright streams of sunlight that filtered in from the stained glass above its back. Right in the middle of the seat, too small for her chair, sat a young Gem Queen. Her diamond eyes stared out at nothing, absolutely frozen in place. It was like she had been covered in ice rather than gemstones._

_“Why won’t anyone steal my heart?”_

_Removing his hat, Snufkin approached her, each footstep agonizingly loud._

_“I did not realize there was anyone else in this room, your majesty.”_

_“Please free me.”_

_“There is only so much freedom that comes with love, your majesty.”_

_“Please free me.”_

_Snufkin smiled gently. “I am not the person you seek. Perhaps there is someone out there more suited to your company.”_

_“Please free me.”_

_“If there is anyone that needs to be freed here, it is Mother Nature that you have attempted to reign in glass.”_

_The Gem Queen, apparently not quite frozen in place, moved her arms quite slowly, as if she were an old robot that needed its joints greased. Her sparkling head didn’t move under her golden crown, and a single jade hand came to rest over her moonstone heart._

_“Please free me.”_

_Frustrated with having gotten nowhere, Snufkin hiked his bag higher up on his back, before turning away from her. “As I said before, love is not as freeing as you might think. I can only free those I already have a commitment to.” And with that, Snufkin made his way to the nearest flower._

_Thus began what was truly a marvelous act of mischief. It took only one shove to send the first crystal dome to the ground, shattering at its impact on the quartz floor, but then, drunk on righteousness, Snufkin ran around the room, pushing every crystal vial and dome to the ground that he could reach. All the while, the Gem Queen watched silently from her seat, not saying a word in protest._

_The only hindrance Snufkin met was the clamor of people flooding through the large doors, maniacally chasing a gleeful Snufkin, who more than happily flung crystal domes in his wake._

_“Blasphemy! Villainy!”_

_“You are hereby guilty of attempting to steal the heart of the Gem Queen!”_

_“Don’t forget to charge the felon with mischief!”_

_As thrilling as Snufkin’s bout of justice remained, it was short-lived, where he was suddenly tackled by heavy castle guards before he could find a means of escape._

 

* * *

 

“What are you imprisoned for, Panu?”

“Wishing to entertain the Gem Queen, I suppose,” the old man replied, surprisingly still awake when Snufkin addressed him.

“And how did that happen, may I ask?”

“I was quite the young’un, I suppose. A traveler from far away with only a wish to spread the music of my flute across the land, I suppose.”

“So you are also a musician, I take?”

“Once I was, I suppose. I never was so lucky to get quite the privilege you did, I suppose.”

Snufkin supposed that keeping his harmonica on him was rather lucky. “And? What has happened to you flute now?”

“With the rest of my belongings, over there. Collecting dust, I suppose.”

“That’s a real shame. I look forward to hearing you play when we are all free.”

“You have a plan, I suppose?”

“I will. I always get out of situations like these. Are there others in this prison?”

“Yes, I suppose.”

“And what of them?”

“Most of them sleep, I suppose. Many longer than others, I suppose. Some hibernate through the winter, I suppose.”

“I’ll find us a way out of this place, Panu.”

“I suppose.”

 

* * *

 

 

It had been a few days since Snufkin was initially imprisoned, and he regretted to acknowledge that he still hadn’t figured a way out of that godforsaken place. Panu was entertaining enough, as was his harmonica, but spring was approaching all too quickly in Moominvalley and Snufkin was becoming more restless than usual.

Cold and mentally exhausted, Snufkin huddled further into his cloak, burrowing his face into his scarf to make up for the lack of his hat. Most of the time he had spent sleeping on the small cot that was tucked away in his cell, but now that he had time to think, reality all too easily settled into his bones.

It hadn’t been so long since Snufkin had last fished. That was his biggest passion — fishing. He ached and longed to be able to cast his fishing rod again, but there was not even the sound of running water where he was trapped. Just like that, the water and the sea had been taken away from him again.

O, how this reminded Snufkin of the comet. The mere memory of the sea disappearing wrought fear throughout his entire being — especially with the thought that if he didn’t find a way out soon, the sea was most certainly taken away from once again. His love for the sea burned at his eyes and made his chest feel like it was collapsing in. Snufkin pressed closer to his scarf, allowing the tears, salty as the seawater, to leak from his eyes and soak into the fabric. His shoulders shook as he wept softly, deciding it better to let everything out now before the new day broke.

 _What else had been cruelly taken from his grasp?_ Now that he couldn’t camp outside, warmed by the smell of cooking food over a wood fire, a stone ceiling stood as a barrier between Snufkin and the sky and the millions upon billions of stars. They probably twinkled brightly from the heavens, unaware that Snufkin was absent under their grand domain. Their expanse was enough to make anyone feel insignificant, but the comfort Snufkin found in their presence was enough for a great love to blossom for the sky, and thus Snufkin was presented with another reason to mourn.

In his lamenting, Snufkin considered the reality in which he never left Moominvalley in the first place. He had always believed it crucial to leave for a period of time to recuperate himself, but was it really worth risking the fact that perhaps he would find himself in a position where he could never return? _Was it really worth risking never being able to see Moomin ever again?_

 _So why was it that Snufkin left?_ His solitude recharged his social battery and the adventure was enough to refresh him for the spring, but he had gradually come to terms with the fact that there was no better place in the world than Moominvalley — why else did he return? Was it because he, the lonesome and travelling orphan, found somewhere he was always welcome, somewhere that he longed to be? And if so, then why did he always leave it?

Maybe it was _because_ he loved Moominvalley so dearly that he had to leave it. Snufkin had the inkling of a fear that if he stayed for too long, he would become bored with the place. Plus, being able to miss Moominvalley so dearly for a period of time only strengthened his love for Moominvalley, making spring all the more special as Moominvalley awaited his return… as _Moomin_ awaited his return. Thus, it was essential for Snufkin to leave.

But now? Now, Snufkin was trapped in a prison far away from Moominvalley with what felt like no future whatsoever. Somewhere, far across the Lonely Mountains in a tall blue house in a valley, lay Moomin, sleeping peacefully and unsuspecting. When he woke up, what would his reaction be, having noticed that Snufkin had failed to return that spring? Snufkin almost couldn’t bear to even imagine it.

_What if Moomin couldn’t bring himself to care at all?_

And perhaps it was that thought that frightened Snufkin most of all. It wasn’t just Moominvalley that he loved dearly and missed during the winter, oh no: it was _Moomin_. It was his sweet smile, his bright laughter, and his eager voice as he shared his every idea and thought that crossed his mind. It was the way he’d run up to Snufkin and hold his hands in his paws, gleefully gazing into his eyes when they were successful in resolving an issue. Snufkin’s fingers twitched at the memory, and he couldn’t help but long for even a phantom of warmth to console him from his misery.

Too tired and too sad to dwell on all of his lost love, Snufkin shut his eyes and took in a shuddering breath, promising himself that he would play his harmonica when he wakes the next morning.

 

* * *

 

The mice that brought the prisoners their food as the Opal Panther slept left Snufkin with only a roll of bread and a bottle of water. He thanked them kindly before they went on their merry way, except for the lingering movement in the corner of his cell, where round eyes blinked back up at him.

“Is there something you have forgotten?” Snufkin asked the eyes gently, checking his space around him. The creature that was slightly too large to be a mouse scurried out from the shadows and stood, meekly holding its paws together over its stomach.

“You wouldn’t happen to be Snufkin, would you?”

“That’s my name.”

The creature’s eyes suddenly widened, and it jittered from foot to foot. “Oh, there has been so much talk of you from Moominvalley!” it exclaimed excitedly. Snufkin sat up suddenly, his eyes narrowing.

“In Moominvalley?”

“Yes! Oh, I have heard so much about you, Snufkin, but it really is quite troubling!”

Snufkin felt rather uneasy. His meal was far from important in his mind anymore. “Troubling? Don’t tell me spring has already reached Moominvalley?”

“Just a few days — enough for word to travel!”

“But word of me… what are they saying?”

“Well, it’s not exactly of you, but…” the creature confessed, looking to the ground for a second before continuing seriously. “The Moomins have woken from their hibernation, and the Moomintroll has been waiting at Moominpappa’s bridge every day, waiting for his Snufkin to come back home.”

Snufkin gulped. He was late. Again. He had vowed that he was never to fall behind in schedule after Moomin had developed a fever waiting for Snufkin’s return, but now here he was, trapped in a prison cell what must have been across an entire mountain range from Moominvalley.

“Moominmamma and Snorkmaiden are worried that Moomintroll will fall ill again,” the creature added on, further distressing Snufkin.

“Is that all of the news you bring from Moominvalley?” Snufkin asked sadly.

The creature nodded. “Some say Moomintroll may never move from the bridge if Snufkin fails to return.”

Snufkin smiled in spite of himself. “I think that is one thing the residents of Moominvalley will not allow.”

“My deepest apologizes for being the bearer of bad news, but I must flee before the Opal Panther wakes.”

“Is there no way you could assist my escape?”

“I believe you are much too large to fit through the iron bars as I can. I’m terribly sorry.”

“That’s alright. Trust me, I’ve tried.”

“Well, I’ll be on my way, then.” With that, the creature began to scurry back into the darkness.

“Wait!” Snufkin found himself calling, and with every bit of luck he had left with him, a pair of eyes turned to blink back at him.

“What is it, Snufkin?”

“Would you at least be able to send a message to Moomintroll, if that is possible?”

“Perhaps I would be able to get word around, yes.”

Snufkin clutched at the fabric of his coat, bunching it into his fists. “Tell him that I will return, no matter what. I… I do not know how long I will be delayed, but even if it takes me a lifetime, I will come h- _I will come home_ ,” he finished firmly, having struggled to form the words properly as they weren’t ones he’d ever really used before. After a moment of hesitation, he then added: “I will stay true to my promise.”

The eyes blinked, suddenly gone in the darkness.

 

* * *

 

Snufkin’s new song for the year had long been perfected, but he couldn’t help but sit and play for hours on end, watching the Opal Panther pace to and fro before his cell. Her low growl was a constant hum that penetrated the prison, but Snufkin only used it as a drone for his music.

The people in this kingdom were very strange, now that Snufkin thought about it. As pretty and delicate as the Gem Queen was, she had seemed a bit neglected in the oddest sort of way, which had only occured to Snufkin the last time he pondered why he was even stuck in this prison. In a way, she was a bit like the Opal Panther, though perhaps trapped in a different way.

 _Please free me_ , she had said.

Snufkin stopped playing quite abruptly. Standing up, he let his arms fall to his side as he peered at the Opal Panther, wondering if perhaps he had found his way out.

“Panu? Are you there?” he called out rather dumbly (though, the Opal Panther was blocking his view of Panu’s cell).

“Yes, I suppose,” came an answer from behind the the large cat.

“I think I found us a way out of this place.”

There was silence for about a minute, save for the growl of the Opal Panther. Snufkin worried briefly that the old man hadn’t heard him, but soon enough he got his answer.

“You have a plan, I suppose?”

“Yes, and I need your help, Panu. Could you do something for me?”

“I suppose, dear Snufkin.”

Snufkin took a deep breath. “Panu, this is very important: I need you to reach for and grab my bag for me.”

There was a brief pause before Panu replied. “You already know why I cannot do that for you, Snufkin-”

“I will distract her,” Snufkin told him firmly. The Opal Panther’s diamond eyes gleamed dangerously at him. He took a deep sigh to settle his nerves. “I will distract the Opal Panther. Now, please, grab my bag and do as I say.”

“Are you out of your mind, Snufkin?” Panu started incredulously. “That is-”

“It must be done,” he interrupted. “If we want to be able to get out of here. We have to try.”

Not willing to argue any longer, he brought his harmonica to his lips and blew, making the round ears of the Opal Panther twitch. Never had he felt more terrified in his life, but with the comforting face of Moomin beaming in his mind, Snufkin pressed onwards, all the way until he was face to face with the beautifully dangerous Panther. Her diamond eyes were marvelously entrancing, and light danced off her moonstone collar.

Pausing in his playing yet never breaking eye contact with his guard once, Snufkin murmured what could very well have been his last words: “You may reach for my bag now, Panu.”

In a burst of courage, Snufkin suddenly lunged forward, his harmonica clattering to the floor beside him. His hand had grabbed ahold of the smooth moonstone collar around the Opal Panther’s neck and held on tightly as she twisted and turned, trying to tear away. It was right as Snufkin finally realized that he had no idea how he was supposed to tug it off right as pearl teeth sunk into his arm. Searing pain jolted through his limb, and he couldn’t tell if his nerves or if his voice was the one that was screaming. Clenching his teeth, Snufkin cleared his mind as much as he could with the fogginess it was gaining and stupidly reached for the collar with his free arm. His fingers ran over the back of the collar and was more than delighted to find that there was a gap in the band. Securing both hands as best as he could, Snufkin used the last of his strength and tugged at the moonstone collar, feeling part of the band snap off in his free hand.

The rest of the moonstone collar fell to the stone floor, so loud in the now absolutely silent room that it echoed.

Through his unbearable pain, Snufkin was able to wrench his bleeding arm away, falling back onto his rear. It took him a few seconds to register that the reason he was able to escape so quickly was because the Opal Panther was now frozen in space as if she had turned to stone. Snufkin couldn’t help but watch in awe as her image suddenly cracked like glass, shattering and scattering to the ground in opal shards. The last to roll away from the scrawny panther that stood in the guard’s afterimage were the two diamonds that served as the Opal Panther’s eyes.

The weak panther that had been trapped inside the gem shield collapsed to ground. Snufkin thought she had fallen unconscious at first, but then she blinked lazily at him, hinting the brilliantly emerald eyes she possessed before closing them again.

“Panu!” Snufkin called out suddenly, scrambling to his feet and clutching at his injured arm. “Panu! Do you have my bag?”

“Yes, I suppose.” Panu’s words were an incredible relief. “That was quite the risk you took, I suppose."

“Could you pass my bag to my cell?”

“I suppose I could.”

Scampering to the side of his cell where Panu was, Snufkin reached out as far as he could from his cell, hoping to even catch a strap with his fingers. When he realized it was just out of reach, he fell to the floor, sticking his leg out of his cell to pull his bag towards him. At last, he was able to rummage through his belongings, pulling out contents wrapped in cloth. Snufkin’s stomach grumbled loudly as he held it in his uninjured hand, but steeling himself, he made his way back to the panther, tugging the knot loose that was holding it closed. The panther’s eyes open again just as Snufkin pulled out some dried fish and a roll of bread.

“They starved you down here, didn’t they?” he asked kindly, offering the food to the cat. The panther sniffed it curiously before rolling over slightly, gratefully accepting the food. Snufkin patted down the soft fur on her head before retrieving the cloth.

“Thank you, Snufkin,” the panther finally purred between bites. “You finally freed me.”

“Yes, I’m sorry it took so long to figure that out,” Snufkin replied. He was busy with inspecting the gashes on his arm, having carefully pushed his blood-soaked sleeve above his elbow. It was too much of a mess to discern anything properly, so he resorted to tying the cloth around his wound like a bandage.

“I’m sorry I bit you,” the panther continued. “I wasn’t in my right mind.”

“I wouldn’t be either. I’ll be fine.”

“Would you happen to have any water in that bag of yours, would you?”

“I should have some left, if I remember correctly.”

The makeshift bandage did little to ease Snufkin’s pain, but it was enough to somewhat help his mobility. It was certainly a lot easier to find his water pouch and lockpick with his arm wrapped up.

After the panther gratefully took the water pouch, Snufkin picked at his cell lock as she finished her meal. It opened almost too easily, and Snufkin immediately rushed off to unlock the rest of the cells. Leaving Panu to wake up any sleeping prisoners, Snufkin packed up his belongings and put on his bag. His hat had accumulated a layer of dust, he noticed as he brushed off its rim, happily placing it back on his head where it belonged.

“How do we get out of this place?” Snufkin asked the panther, who was now standing up on all four paws again. Her tail swished as she thought.

“There is one last lock to the stairs that lead out — that was what kept me in here. Would you like to ride on my back as you lead the rest of us out?”

“It would be an honour.”

The last padlock was a bit harder to pick at, and by the time it jolted open, the rest of the released prisoners were waiting behind Snufkin, murmuring and rousing themselves to revolt in the kingdom. Some had even already pocketed the scraps of the panther’s prison, seeing value especially in the large diamonds.

Swinging a leg over the panther’s back, Snufkin wrapped his arms around her neck, grasping at her smooth opal fur. “Ready?”

“More than I’ll ever be,” she purred before taking off.

The next few minutes were absolute pandemonium. Feelings of freedom burst like raging bubbles inside of Snufkin’s chest, and the usually quiet Mumrik couldn’t help but let out a few whoops of joy, gleefully riding the panther as she pounced from aristocrat to aristocrat. Round nobles tumbled down like bowling pins as they made their way into the castle, with Snufkin directing the panther to the throne room. All they could hear was a cacophony of shouts in their wake, frustrated for having been wrongfully convicted. After all, so was Snufkin. Now, he could be reunited with the sea. He could be reunited with the stars. _He could be reunited with Moomin._

When the panther finally bounded through the tall doors of the throne room, Snufkin hopped off her back and sprinted to the end of the room, dodging and wriggling free of the royalty that attempted to barricade him from reaching the Gem Queen. The panther more than happily helped, swishing her tail and pouncing on the people swarming Snufkin.

Snufkin reached the huge throne at last, throwing his bag to the side as he clambered up its side. When he reached the seat —too high for any of the red aristocrats scrambling to reach for him— Snufkin paused, taking off his hat and bowing before the Gem Queen.

“I am afraid I have misunderstood you intentions, your Majesty,” he apologized, trying to peer past her diamond eyes.

“Please free me,” she begged quietly, still frozen in place. “Please steal my heart.”

“As you wish.”

Ignoring the sudden rise in shouts behind him, Snufkin reached forward with his good arm and wrapped his fingers around her moonstone heart. Taking a deep breath, he wrenched his arm back and pulled at the gemstone.

The moonstone heart pulled away with more ease than Snufkin expected, so he was flung back with the force he used. Just like the Opal Panther, the Gem Queen instantly cracked. Blinding light poked through each crack as if there was a sun inside, glowing brighter and brighter until the gems imprisoning her fell away, scattering on and around her throne. Her moonstone heart was still clutched in Snufkin’s hand.

Standing in the Gem Queen’s place was a strikingly beautiful maiden with her eyes peacefully shut. She let out a soft sigh before collapsing on her rear into the rubble of her prison. Snufkin was spurred into action, brushing off a good portion of the gems from her throne with his foot.

“Are you alright, your Majesty?”

The Queen, with the same brilliantly green eyes the panther had, fluttered her eyelids and gazed up at Snufkin, smiling sweetly. “Yes, more than alright. Thank you for finally freeing me.”

“I’m glad I could help.” Snufkin glanced at the heart in his now open palm. “Would you like this back?”

“Oh, no,” she shook her head, waving her hands in front of herself. “Please — keep it. As a token of thanks.”

Snufkin stared at the gem for a while. He was hesitant to keep it mainly because he disliked keeping any worldly possessions, but he also felt as if it would be an offence to decline it from the Queen.

The Queen, seeming to have read his mind, spoke up again. “Do not think of the heart as a prison: think of it as the key. Because you took it, you were able to grant me freedom. It used to be my most prized possession, passed down by my family before all of this mess happened. If you do not wish to keep it, please consider giving it to someone you truly care for; this heart holds a lot of love in it and was the only thing that grounded me.”

He blinked up at her. “Then why did you want for someone to steal it so badly?”

“Because it was my only way out. One of the best prisons is to sacrifice the item the prisoner would prize the most dearly.”

Turning over the moonstone heart once in his hand, feeling its weight, Snufkin finally decided to pocket it, setting his worries aside for later. The Queen beamed at him.

“That is your heart now,” she continued, startling Snufkin out of his thoughts. “Please consider carefully who is worthy to possess your heart.”

At her words and the thought of the moonstone’s milky white colour, Snufkin stiffened. _He still had to return to Moominvalley._ Spring had already arrived. He placed his hat back on his head.

“I’m sorry, but I have to go,” he rushed out, restless with need. “I’m late, you see.”

“Late?”

“Late to a promise.”

“Then go. I bid you good luck.”

“Thank you. I hope your kingdom will turn for the better now. Please do not continue to suffocate the flowers.” The Queen glanced at the remaining flowers in the room under crystal domes before nodding in understanding. “I’ll be on my way, then.”

When Snufkin scrambled down from the throne, he met the panther as she attempted climbing up, having knocked everyone else in the room unconscious. Snufkin gave her a farewell pat as she nuzzled appreciatively into his hand, licking his face before heading off to her Queen. Grabbing his bag, Snufkin ran out of the throne room and out of the castle.

Just before he could leave the castle grounds, Snufkin stopped as he approached Panu. Panu was standing dazedly in a patch of grass, staring —with his eyes finally open— absently up into the sky and holding his flute in his paws. It took him a few seconds to register that Snufkin was waiting for him. He beamed.

“This is better than any gift the other prisoners could have possibly given me,” Panu said at last.

“It was the least I could do, I suppose,” Snufkin answered. Panu laughed.

“It’s wonderful to feel the sun in your fur, I suppose.”

“I must leave,” Snufkin told him, resolute in his statement.

Panu nodded sadly. “I thought so. Moominvalley must miss you quite dearly, I suppose.”

“Next winter, we should meet again, or you should visit us in Moominvalley. I never got to hear your flute playing.”

“I have not heard it myself in many years, I suppose. Thank you for everything you’ve done, Snufkin."

“Farewell, Panu.”

“Farewell, Snufkin.”

And with that, Snufkin broke out into a run — there was no more time he could waste. Every minute he spent away from Moominvalley was increasingly agonizing, and he couldn’t bear to think how Moomin was faring without him.

Snufkin ran for what felt like days, when it was probably only a few hours. The adrenaline from the revolt had worn off over time, and the increasingly stinging ache from the bite in his arm returned, and his cloth was most definitely soaked through with blood. Still, Snufkin ran, ignoring the screams of exhaustion from every bone in his body, begging for any sort of rest.

He only stopped when he collapsed to the ground in the middle of a mountain forest many hours later, having passed out from over-exertion and blood loss.

 

* * *

 

Snufkin awoke to a soft pillow pressed against the back of his head. Unfamiliar clothes covered his body, and he was buried under a few layers of blankets. When he turned his head to the side and lazily blinked his eyes open, he spotted his hat resting on a bedside table.

Sitting up suddenly, Snufkin’s eyes flew open and his heart pounded in his chest. Right as he was upright, however, Snufkin was greeted with a wave of nausea and forced to lay back again.

With all the commotion he had created, someone came bustling into the bedroom he was occupying, checking his forehead and wiping the hair from his face. Snufkin blinked up at what seemed like a familiar face above him.

“M… Moominmamma?” Snufkin asked weakly, seeing her ears twitch on her head. She cocked her head at him before giggling.

“Oh, no! Not at all. I _am_ Moominmamma’s sister, though,” she replied gleefully. Straightening up, she brushed her paws on her blue apron.

“How long have I been asleep?”

“Hm, I’m not completely sure about that.” Her paw came to rest questioningly on her chin as she thought. “The Joxter dropped you off here two days ago, and he _said_ he had only been carrying you for a little while, but I have reason to think he is only being modest.”

“Joxter?” Snufkin sat up slowly this time, gratefully accepting the mug of tea he was being handed.

“Oh, yes. You can imagine my shock when he appeared on my doorstep with you on his back, bloodied and unconscious. He seemed a bit antsy about something or another, and he hung around the house for about a day napping at your bedside before he finally left.”

“Where are we now?”

“Well, we’re still in the Lonely Mountains, but it’s about a day’s walk to the Secret Valley.”

That means the Joxter must have carried Snufkin for _days_. He was already so close to Moominvalley. Snufkin shifted impatiently in his sheets. Moominaunt sat down in the chair by his bed.

“I’m truly grateful for all of your help, but I must leave immediately. I cannot bear to stay here any longer now that spring has arrived.”

“I’m sorry, but I simply cannot allow that,” Moominaunt replied sternly. Snufkin blanched. “You see, you are still simply too weak to travel in this condition.”

“I’m fine.”

“You just woke from your slumber.”

“I just need to make it to Moominvalley. Please: it is unbearable to be separated for any longer.”

Moominaunt sighed before she turned to look out the window. “It is still dark out. All I ask for you is to rest for a bit longer — at least until the new dawn comes.”

Though his chest ached almost as badly as his arm did, Snufkin reluctantly slid into his covers, agreeing to rest for just a few hours longer. Sipping at his tea, he spotted the moonstone heart set upon the nightstand beside his hat. Moominaunt noticed his line of sight and spoke up.

“I found that in your coat pocket as I was washing your clothes. Is it important?”

Snufkin peered at it for a while, mulling over the memory of the Queen’s words. “I believe I am supposed to gift it to someone very special.”

“Gift?” Moominaunt hummed before making a proposition. “How would you like to weave it into a bracelet of some sort? Or as a pendant?” Snufkin turned to look at her questioningly. “If it is supposed to be a gift, why not make it so that they could keep it with them at all times?”

Pondering the suggestion for a while, Snufkin finally smiled. “I think that’s a grand idea.”

For the rest of the hours of the night, Snufkin was presented with a strong thread that Moominaunt taught him how to weave into various patterns. She helped him secure the stone as a pendant in the center of the band and guided him through his mistakes. It was surprising how much time and concentration the craft making consumed, which helped him forget the pain in his arm and his longing to see Moomin again. Snufkin never ceased from thinking about Moomin, of course, but now it was rather in the spirit of excitement, to be able to reunite with his best friend after what felt like a millenia.

After Moominaunt rebandaged his arm one last time and returned all of his belongings, Snufkin set out for Moominvalley the moment a hint of dawn peeked through the bedroom window, bidding goodbye to the Moomin and thanking her profusely.

As soon as Moominvalley came into his view, his legs broke out into a run, and not even his breathless lungs or sore feet could stop him.

  
  
  


Snufkin was so tired that his head was feeling fuzzy again, but he was only a minute or two away from Moominpappa’s bridge. His steps slowed to a jog before falling to a quick walk as he reached inside his coat, rummaging around for his harmonica. Now that he was in the valley, everything was still dark outside, as the sun still hid behind the Lonely Mountains. Mind buzzing with the new song he had crafted to perfection throughout the winter and while he was in prison, Snufkin brought the instrument to his lips and blew, not even bearing to wait and arrive at the bridge first.

The path cleared and suddenly Snufkin could see the wooden bridge closer to him than it had been all winter, and the wash of feelings flooding his chest left him winded. Eyes flickering to the Moominhouse, Snufkin used every last breath for his song, calling out to Moomin.

In what felt like a dream, Snufkin watched as the window to Moomin’s room flew open, Moomin tumbling out through it and shouting something too far away for Snufkin to hear. His presence felt absolutely unreal, and just the mere sight of him made Snufkin’s balance sway from side to side. Moomin was sliding down the rope ladder now and hopping onto the grass, breaking out into a sprint for the bridge. Snufkin barely noticed how he had broken into a sprint himself, wheezing out the last notes of his song into his harmonica, not caring how it sounded anymore.

Moomin was coming closer, closer, _closer_ , and Snufkin felt on top of the world. His friend looked so concerned yet so happy to see him, with his arms spreading to welcome Snufkin into an embrace. Snufkin shifted out from under his bag and threw it to the grass, his harmonica following not too soon after.

They met in the middle of the bridge. Moomin’s paws made their way around Snufkin’s waist and held on tightly, lifting him from the ground and spinning him around so quickly that his hat flew off. Snufkin’s injured arm ached but he couldn’t care less as he wrapped his own arms around Moomin’s neck, laughing from the sheer euphoria that bubbled from deep in his subconscious. Moomin was laughing… Moomin was _crying_ — _gosh_ , he really was missed, wasn’t he?

After what seemed like an eternity, or perhaps only a few seconds, Moomin finally set Snufkin back on his own two feet. Instead, his paws slid down to hold both of Snufkin’s hands ever so sweetly. Snufkin’s heart was fluttering like a hummingbird, beating its wings against his chest to set itself free. Trying to catch his breath, he gazed up at Moomin’s eyes, lost in how blue they really were.

“I’m home,” Snufkin whispered, squeezing Moomin’s paws.

Dawn finally found its way into Moominvalley. Sunrise, peeking from the gaps of the Lonely Mountains, bathed their surroundings in a soft golden light — and Moomin was absolutely _glowing_.

_“Welcome home.”_

 

* * *

 

A welcoming party for Snufkin’s return had been put on by the Moomins, and as fun as it was, Snufkin seeked a brief escape at some point during the night. Luckily, though being the center of attention, he managed to sneak away, hiding in the shadows of the trees just outside the Moominhouse.

Snufkin hadn’t expected everyone to be so overwhelmed by his return (and especially not himself), but Moomin had already repeatedly apologized for crying so abruptly at their reunion, and everyone had grown more than antsy when Snufkin had failed to return for about two weeks after everyone had woken up from hibernation. He regretted to hear that Moomin had worked himself up into a depression where all he did was wait for Snufkin to return, but it also brought him some selfish pride, which he quickly (yet somewhat unsuccessfully) tried to dismiss.

“I thought you’d escaped somewhere here.”

Snufkin turned around, startled from his thoughts. Moomin was approaching him carefully, carrying two glasses of raspberry juice.

“You know me too well,” Snufkin smiled, silently accepting one of the glasses.

Moomin hesitated for a second, shifting his weight from foot to foot. “Did… If you wanted to be alone, I can always leave.”

Snufkin shook his head. “No, that’s alright. I’ve missed your company.” Elated, Moomin stepped closer to his friend, sitting down at Snufkin’s feet and looking up at the stars with him.

“Rumor came around that you were in prison,” he murmured, not sparing Snufkin a glance. “What did you do this time?”

“Stole a Gem Queen’s heart, that’s all,” Snufkin said mischievously. He nudged Moomin with his leg.

“Was she beautiful?” he asked rather sadly.

“Incredibly,” Snufkin admitted. “But no, I didn’t actually free her until after I escaped. I actually got in for vandalism.”

“Vandalism?”

“They kept all the flowers in the the throne room in crystal domes.”

“Ah. I see.”

“I suppose my sentence was more for being suspected of trying to steal the Queen’s heart, though.”

“And did you?”

“I did.”

“I see. Why didn’t you stay with her?” Moomin’s ears were flattened slightly. Snufkin reached down to brush his fingers against them, coaxing them to stand proud once again.

“Because she’s not the one that matters to me,” he replied simply and left it at that. “I’ll tell you that story a little later.” Moomin sighed deeply, leaning slightly into Snufkin’s light touch.

“Can you at least tell me what happened to your arm?”

“I was bit by the Opal Panther.”

Moomin’s ears straightened alarmingly fast, and his head bumped against Snufkin’s hand (which happened to be attached to his injured arm). Snufkin winced before Moomin began to apologize profusely.

“A _panther_?”

“Yes, a panther. She was very nice in the end.”

“You’re alright though, right?”

“I am now.”

“I’m glad.”

Both fell silent for a little while, lost for words. They resorted simply to staring up at the stars and sipping at their raspberry juice. Though he had been released for a few days now, this was the first night Snufkin really had to appreciate the night sky, and it was more precious than he could ever remember.

“I was scared that I was going to lose all of this for a bit,” Snufkin found himself admitting, not regretting it as much as he thought it would. Moomin turned to look at him for a bit, trying to understand what he meant.

“Scared?”

“Remember when the comet came to Moominvalley? And the sea disappeared?”

“Oh, that was absolutely horrible.”

“You see, I met a friend who had been in that prison for many years. I didn’t know how I was supposed to cope if I was to never see the sea or sky again.”

“And I thought I was bad for worrying myself sick again.”

Snufkin’s attention snapped down to Moomin. “You grew sick waiting for me again?”

Moomin stared at the ground, bashfully playing with the grass. “Not for long. After I heard word that you _couldn’t_ return, I worried a bit less, but then I worried if you were _okay_ and I fell ill."

Snufkin felt horrible. “Moomin-”

“But it was alright!” Moomin’s tone shifted, sounding almost forcibly positive. “Word came ‘round that even if you took an eternity, you’d keep your promise. You’d come _home_. Oh, Snufkin: you’ve never said home before. My heart ached dearly, but never had I ever felt so much hope at once.”

Snufkin’s word travelled. _Snufkin’s word travelled._ Oh, how he wished to thank the creature that snuck into his cell.

“You know,” Snufkin murmured, gazing up at the stars just for a little bit of courage, “it wasn’t just the seas and stars that I missed. I missed Moominvalley too. I missed… I missed…” he trailed off, faltering in his confidence.

“You missed _what_?”

He turned his head slightly to gaze down at Moomin, who had been staring up at him with wonder. His eyes were wide and curious, and —dare he say— hopeful. All Snufkin could do was stare at him for a while, hoping vaguely to convey his thoughts telepathically. Alas, telepathy was never a strong suit of his, so Moomin was left to blink in confusion at him.

Instead, Snufkin decided to change the topic. “I was given the heart I had stolen as a gift of thanks,” he began, merely smiling at the look of concerned surprise he received, “And I was told that it was my heart now. When I expressed that I didn’t want to keep it, she told me to be wary of who was to possess my heart.”

“Did you throw it away?”

“Not this time.”

“Then _who_? Did you figure out who you were going to give it to?”

“I didn’t even need to think. I already knew.”

Snufkin could feel Moomin’s stare on him. It burned through his skin and raised the goosebumps on his arms. A hand clutched at the moonstone heart in his pocket, rubbing his fingers over the cool stone for reassurance. More than ever, Snufkin wanted to never speak again, but he absolutely couldn’t leave Moomin hanging — not now, with everything he had said. He gulped.

“I- I know you’re not much of a jewelry person but… I thought perhaps this could serve as a good luck charm, yes!” Snufkin rambled. “Something to keep with you while you hibernate, just to remind you that I’ll be back in the spring-” He promptly shut up, having grown anxious that he had spoken too much. Moomin was staring at him.

Steeling himself, he took out the moonstone heart and placed it in Moomin’s paw. The second it was out of his hands, he felt an uncharacteristic sense of embarrassment flush through him, so he turned to look at the stars away from Moomin silently, unable to face him after doing something so bold.

Moomin was unbearably quiet. Never had Snufkin known him to keep his mouth shut like this (especially with a circumstance such as this), and he grew so concerned with the fact that he almost completely forgot about his own anxieties, peeking over at his friend… who was red as a _beet_.

Suddenly, as if life sparked inside of him, Moomin’s ears perked up and his tail twitched, and so he began to ramble. “S- Snufkin! I- I don’t think… I don’t think I could _possibly…_ Do I _really_ deserve this? Oh, oh, oh… is this what you meant by your heart, Snufkin? Oh dear, I don’t even trust me-”

Snufkin burst out into laughter. Each giggle held so much joy that it shook his entire figure, and soon it was just enough to stop Moomin from gaping in wonder and join him. Raspberry juice sloshed onto the ground before Snufkin was able to fully set the glass down. Sitting beside Moomin, Snufkin stretched back so that he was laying in the grass, pulling his hat over his eyes with a hand. Right as he closed his eyes, he felt his hat being lifted from his face. When he opened his eyes again, he watched Moomin leaning over him, balancing Snufkin’s hat over his ears.

“Please take care of my heart from now on,” Snufkin asked politely, teasing his friend (or whatever they were supposed to be).

“I’ll try my best.” Moomin laid down beside him, also staring up at the stars. “Do you always have to leave?”

“Hm?”

“Why do you have to leave Moominvalley?”

“Hmm…” Snufkin threaded his fingers together, placing his hands over his stomach. “I still need my solidarity, and you go into hibernation whenever I leave.”

“I know, but… is it really worth it? What if you never return?”

“Well, I think it’s my return in the spring that makes it all worth it. Nothing is better than coming back to Moominvalley and loving it all over again, realizing that there is no better place in the world.”

“So you’ll always come back, no matter what?”

“Of course, Moomin. I’ll always come home.”

And that was that. Snufkin already knew deep in his heart that nothing could ever change that. Moominvalley was his home as long as the moon stayed above them, and it was his home as long as the waves crashed in the sea and the stars twinkled in the sky.

Moominvalley was his home as long as Moomin was there, waiting for Snufkin’s return.

 

**Author's Note:**

> kldjfkdsjflksd im so sorry i dont know what happened. this was supposed to be shorter lol. please know i have like at least 2 more ideas for snufmin fics cause im dummy stupid
> 
> please scream about the moomin series to me [on my tunglr](https://universalsatan.tumblr.com/#_=_)  
> or even just my [writing blog](https://celestialberries.tumblr.com/) is fine too i guess


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